Chasing After You
by alliterationhor
Summary: What happens when Kurogane finally catches Fai?


TITLE: Chasing After You  
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing.  
SPOILERS: not a one.  
Comments/concrit appreciated.

* * *

**Chasing After You**

This world, Kurogane decided, was the most screwed up of any they had visited.

On this world, the women wore trousers and shirts—and the men wore _dresses_.

Kurogane hated this world.

It was not too bad for Sakura, she looked fine in this world's attire.

Syaoran was adjusting to the change with as much dignity as he could muster, after Fai had reasonably pointed out that all the men dressed this way and that he would only be laughed at if he did _not_ wear a dress.

Fai, of course, had no problem with the clothes.

Kurogane was loathe to admit it, but Fai actually looked—not too bad.

Fai was wearing a long, light blue dress that hugged his slender frame invitingly. The skirt was full at the hem and swept the floor, and the long sleeves were sheer with just a hint of sparkle. Even without breasts and wings, Fai looked like some fairy princess out of a storybook.

Kurogane knew there was no way a dress would look that good on him.

"Kuro-pon," Fai had said, before shoving him in the changing booth, "You have three options. The first, you wear a dress like all the men in this world do. Second, we buy you a bra and stuff it so that you look like a girl and you can wear trousers. Third option, you stay inside the hotel room while the four of us search for the feather. And who knows how long it will take us to get the feather if we don't have Kuro-ko to help us. We could be here a very, _very_ long time."

Kurogane hated it when Fai made sense.

So, that was why Kurogane was now trying on dresses and (he would not say 'modeling') letting the others have a look, for approval purposes.

Syaoran and Sakura would not laugh at him, which was a small relief. Syaoran, out of respect and a bit of healthy fear; Sakura, out of respect and compassion.

Fai possessed none of those traits, unfortunately.

"We still haven't seen the red one!"

"I am _not_ wearing the red one."

"Yes, you are! The formal dinner party is tomorrow, and you have to wear something spectacular!"

"Did you just say 'spectacular'?"

"The red one is spectacular!"

Kurogane grumbled and cursed, but reluctantly pulled on the long red dress. "It fits," he called through the curtain. There was no way he was going to 'model' this one for the stupid mage's amusement.

The curtain was ripped open, by none other than the stupid mage.

"Oh, Kuro-tan," he chided. "You can't know if it fits unless you zip it!"

"Couldn't reach," he grumbled.

Fai grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the booth, turned him around and slid the zipper up. Then Fai stood in front of him and cast his eyes over the ninja.

The dress was long enough to sweep around his ankles. The colour was a vibrant red at the chest, which faded into garnet at the waist, and turned into black at the hem. There were sequins (which Kurogane despised with every atom of his being) gathered at the chest, which trickled down past the waist and onto the skirt. The cut across the chest was modest, at least, and there were spaghetti straps over the shoulders.

Fai looked too stunned to speak, and Kurogane counted his blessings.

"You look very nice, Kurogane-san," Sakura complimented.

Syaoran looked like he might have lost the ability to speak. Possibly permanently.

"Kuro-sama ..." Fai murmured. Then he broke into a bright grin, somehow managing to leer at the same time. "Kuro-sama is a _hottie_!"

"Hottie! Hottie! Hottie!" Mokona chanted with enthusiasm.

Sakura and Syaoran wisely did not echo this statement.

"Awww, Kuro-chan is blushing! Isn't he adorable?"

'Adorable' was not the word Syaoran or Sakura would have used. 'Murderous' was closer.

"Now, Kuro-pon." Fai turned the ninja toward the full-length mirror and started to fuss with the shoulder straps. "I'm sure you're going to be hit on by at least half the girls at the party tomorrow. So you do know that even if a girl buys you a drink, or dinner—even if it's lobster—you do _not_ have to have sex with her. Right?"

Kurogane's arm shot out to grab Fai, but the magician twisted lithely out of his reach.

"Come here," Kurogane growled, dangerously, "So I can kill you."

"Now, now!" Fai sidled over to stand behind Sakura and leaned down a little, using her as a shield. "You can't kill me in front of Sakura-hime, right? Isn't there some sort of ninja code of conduct against that?"

Kurogane roared, "Ninja's don't hide behind women's skirts!"

They all knew what was coming next.

"Kuro-chan is the one wearing a skirt," Fai corrected.

"But I still have my sword," Kurogane reminded him, unsheathing Souhi. He glanced over at Syaoran.

Syaoran nodded in understanding and pulled the princess over to his side, out of the line of fire.

Kurogane charged, and Fai sprang away.

"Cheating!" Fai laughed. "Traitor!" he called gleefully to Syaoran.

Syaoran and Sakura watched as Fai shot out the door with Kurogane close behind him.

"Don't worry!" Fai called to the cashier. "Our children will pay for the clothes!"

-----

Ahead of him, Fai ducked into an alley; Kurogane was not more than a few seconds behind. But when Kurogane arrived, the alley was empty. He took a few steps, glancing around, then looked up.

The magician was crouching on a fire escape a few stories up.

"Come down here," Kurogane said.

"Mm ... Kuro-moo still looks angry."

"Because I am still angry, dumbass."

"And Kuro-woof still has his big sharp sword out ..."

Kurogane heaved a heavy sigh, and slid Souhi into her sheath.

"Hm ..."

A car horn blared beyond the alley, distracting Kurogane for only a second. When he looked up again, Fai was gone.

Kurogane growled to himself and began to climb the fire escape.

He was tired of this game, tired of this chase. Tired of the way Fai would disappear, and then reappear hours later, when Kurogane had had time to calm down. He was tired of the way Fai would act as if nothing had happened, as if Kurogane had never been angry enough to chase him, as if Fai had never provoked him.

This time, he was determined to catch the damn mage.

Even if he had to climb a building while wearing a sparkly dress.

At the top of the building, Fai was nowhere to be seen. Kurogane turned in a slow circle, looking all around. He checked the door to the rooftop access, but it was locked. He jiggled it soundly just to make sure.

He closed his eyes and let his senses point him in a direction, and followed. He paused at the low wall that marked the edge of the building—Fai could have easily made the jump to the next rooftop.

But Kurogane turned around and slammed his hands against the wall of the rooftop access where Fai was hiding in the shadows, one hand on either side of the wizard's shoulders.

Fai's eyes were wide with genuine surprise. But he recovered quickly. His eyelids fell to half-closed and a lazy, sexy smile curved his lips; his arms raised to the ninja's shoulders, draping over them.

"Well ..." Fai purred. "Now you've caught me. What are you going to do with me?" he questioned, tipping his chin up in invitation. "Kill me ...? Or kiss me?"

Kurogane leaned in, closed his eyes, and answered with a fierce kiss.

"You know," Fai murmured, one hand squeezing the ninja's ass, "you really do look pretty in that dress."

"One of these days," Kurogane growled in return, "I will kill you."

Fai laughed against his lips. "Mmm ... But kissing me is much more fun, I promise."


End file.
